Grading machine



. Sept. 1, 1936.

J. W. JOHNSTON GRADING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l l iuk J. w. JOHNSTON 2,052,829

Sept. 1, 1936.

GRADING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V ww 322E222HE: ========E== ==EH k NQ w w HHM N 7 WMH in mm 3 m sfiw hm.

Sept. 1, 1936. J. w. JOHNSTON GRADING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 1, 1936 i lTE DSTAT-ES PATENT OFFICE GRADING MACHINE James W. Johnston, Manchester, N. H., assignor to North American Holding Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 16, 1935, Serial No. 16,572

11 Claims. (Cl. 27159) This invention relates to grading machines of which is narrower than the blanks, formed on the kind which grade died-out blanks of leather, top of the bed plate I9. When the blank is resuchas cut soles, in accordance with their thickmoved by the operator from underneath a trip ness' as determined by a detecting or measuring (not shown), the feeding mechanism is set in .device. motion by which another blank is fed from the 5 Therplincipal bject of the invention is to p bottom of the stack of blanks in the magazine to vide means to guide the blanks in a straight path the roll l5 d as y pass through the e ding and measuring For a more detailed description of the construcrolls and prevent them from swerving or being tion and operation of the machine, whichhas displaced edgewise. been only briefly and generally outlined above, 10

Although the invention is of broader applicareference may be had to either of the two pattio'ngI will describe it, for the purpose of illusents aforesaid. Machines of this character are 'tration, as applied to a grading machine o the well. known in the art and contain many parts yp ShOWnin the Cogswell Patents No. 1,686,487, which are not material to the present invention dated October 2, 1928 and No. 1,820,010, dated and which it is therefore not necessary to de- 15 August 25, 1931. scribe in explaining the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Each roll l5 and 16 comprises, as usual, two Fi 1 iS a GOP p View Of a grading machine sections which are adjustably mounted on shafts. embodying the invention; The two sections of each roll are separated at Fig. 2.is a plan view of one of the extension the middle by an intervening space so that only 20 guide bars hereinafter described; the side marginal portions of the blank are en- F 3 is a side elevation, of said gui b gaged by the rolls, since it is the usual practice Fig. 4 is a plan view of the other guide bar; to grade soles and the like according to the thick- Fig.'5 is an enlarged section on line 55 of ness of the thinnest measurement of the mar- Fi 1; ginal areas, especially the marginal areas of the 25 Fig. 6 is a. sectional detail on line 6-6 of forepart of a sole. It is therefore important that Fig, 5; the sole pass through the machine with the me- Fig. 7 is a sectional detail on line 'l'! of dian line of its forepart parallel to its direction Fig, 5; of movement and approximately midway between Fig. 3 iS 3. section on line 88 of Fig. 1; the two sections of each r011 30 Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing in side In the machines as heretofore constructed elevation the relation of the guide rails to each there is nothing to prevent the blanks, after leavother and'to the feeding and measuring rolls; ing the magazine and While being propelled d through the machine by the feeding and meas- Fig. 10 illustrates a modification showing uring rolls l5 and it, from swerving edgewise, '35 mechanism for adjusting all the guide rails in with the result that the median line of the blank i on, sometimes swings laterally in one direction or the At the front of the machine is a magazine or other instead of maintaining a straight path hopper which holds the soles or other blanks S always parallel with the direction of movement 40 to be graded in a stack resting on a table or of the blank. Consequently it sometimes hap-. 40 shelf [0. The blanks are automatically fed by pens that the desired marginal areas of the blank the usual feeding mechanism one at a time from are not correctly traversed by the roll sections the bottom of the stack to the detecting or measand imperfect grading results. uring and feeding rolls l5 and it by which the Machines of the kind illustrated are largely blanks are measured and propelled through the us d f r radin uts As s l und st d, 45 machine. The measuring and feeding rolls l5 cut soles are asymmetrical or crooked in shape and it are continuously driven in the direction as illustrated in Fig. 1 by the sole S shown in indicated by the arrows in Fig. 9. As each blank dotted l n h h part being Ofiset l r lly passes betwe the roll [5 d is th thiekwith relation to the forepart and at a substantial ness of its thinnest part is detected and detera gle to the median line of the forepart; The 50 mined and the lower, yielding roll 4 6 acts through i ing f h r e l r y shaped sol s, both totheusual mechanism to set the pointer l1 relaward and away from the measuring and feeding tively to the-dial l8 of-the usual indicator. rolls, involves problems which arenot encountered The blank is'discharged from the rolls l5 and in the guiding of blanks whose shape is regular .5 :[6 upon the central work-supporting track 31, andsymmetrical. Moreover a sole of this kind tends, while passing through the rolls, to swerve in the direction of its general curvature or offset. For example, a left sole, such as that illustrated at S in Fig. 1, has its heel part curved or offset toward the left, when viewed from the toe end, and in passing through the machine tends to swerve toward the left or counterclockwise. Similarly a right sole which is offset in the opposite direction tends to swerve toward the right or clockwise.

The present invention has to do with guides for preventing such swerving movements and for insuring the travel of the sole through the machine in a substantially straight path with the median line of the forepart of the sole at all times substantially parallel to the direction of travel.

The magazine in which the soles are stacked on the shelf Ill includes a rear wall I l fixed to the frame of the machine, a front wall l2 also fixed to the machine with provision for adjusting it to accommodate blanks of different lengths, a pair of. side walls I3 on the wall II and a pair of side walls M on the wall l2, the side walls also being adjustable to. accommodate blanks of diiferent widths and shapes.

Mounted on the shelf ID at the bottom of the magazine and in advance of the measuring and feeding rolls l5 and I6 is a pair. of parallel guide rails 20 and 20 The guiderail 20, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, is a piece of angle iron having fixed to its bottom side a block or lug 24, which extends downwardly through a slot 25 formed in the shelf 10. Near its lower end the lug 24 has a hole formed with a left-hand thread, into which is threaded one end of a spindle 26 similarly having a left-hand thread to engage the thread in lug 24. The other guide rail 26 is similarly constructed of a length of angle iron with a block or lug 21 fixed to its bottom side and projecting downwardly through a slot 28 in the shelf Ill; The hole in lug 21 is made with a righthand thread and engages the other end of the spindle 26, which is provided with a right-hand thread. The angle iron guide rails 20 and 26 are so positioned that their horizontal flanges rest on the shelf ID and extend outwardly in opposite directions while their upstanding flanges, which are preferably inclined a little outwardly, constitute the guides forthe blanks resting on the shelf l0.

For a given size of soles the magazine walls and the side guides 20 and 2i] are so adjusted and set that a line drawn on thesole from a point bisecting the toe end of the sole to a point bisecting the narrowest part of the shank, is coincident with the median line of the machine. When the parts are so set, as will be apparent from Fig. 1, the guide rail 26 will be a little farther from the median line of the machine than the guide rail 20, since a left sole is a little wider or more protuberant on that side of said median line than -on the other side. These conditions are reversed in thercase of a right sole. The side guide rails engage only the wide ball portionof the sole and therefore are relatively so set that the distance between them is approximately the same as the width of the ball of the sole.

In order to adjust the two guide rails 20 and 20 toward and from-each other to fit them to the widthof the ball of the sole the spindle 26 is manually rotated by means'of a handle 26 provided at one end thereof. A single adjustment serves for both right and left soles, since after the proper width adjustment has been made the two guides may be laterally adjusted or shifted together as a pair, when changing from right to left soles, or vice versa, Without changing the width adjustment.

The lateral adjustment or displacement of the two guide rails in unison as a pair in order to offset the pair in one direction or the other from the median line of the machine, depending on whether right soles or left soles are to be graded, is accomplished by shifting the spindle 26 endwise in one direction or the other. To limit the displacement of the spindle 26 toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, a stop nut 36 is provided, adjustably mounted on the spindle 26 and secured in its adjusted position by a lock nut 3|. The engagement of the stop nut 36 with an abutment 32 fixed to the under side of shelf ID limits the endwise movement of the spindle in that direction. A collar. 33 adjustably mounted on the spindle 26 at the opposite side of the abutment 32 limits the endwise movement of the spindle 26 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 5, by engagement with the abutment 32.

In order to hold the spindle 26 in its adjust- .ment at either limit of its endwise movement, I

provide a latch 34 pivotally mounted on the abutment 32 at 35 and having a depending handle 36 by means of which the latch can be manually raised to free the spindle 26 when it is to be shifted endwise. When the spindle 26 is at the limit of its endwise movementtowardthe right, as shown in Fig. 5, the latch 34 engages the inner side of the collar 33 and prevents the shifting of the spindle towardthe left. When the spindle is at the limit of its movement toward the left, the collar 33 engages the abutment 32 and the latch 34 engages the outer'side of the collar 33 and prevents movement of the spindle toward the right. The latch 34 is braced and steadied by a slotted post 34 fixed to the under side of the shelf ID, the free endof the iatch 34 working up and down in the slot in post 34 By adjustment of the stop members 36 and 33 on the spindle 26 the extent of the offset of the pair of guide rails 20 and 20 may be varied.

In connection with the guide rails 26 and ZU I provide a pair of extension guide bars 2| and Zi (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4), one for use when operating upon right soles and the other for use when operating upon left soles, although with some styles of blanks the two might be used simultaneously. When operating upon a left sole ofthe kind shown at S in Fig. 1, the extension guide bar 2| is attached to the guide rail 26 the extension guide bar for the other guide rail 20 being omit.- ted to leave a clear space between the endof the guide rail 20 and the measuring rolls for the later-ally offset heel end of the blank. Similarly, when right soles are to be graded the extension guide bar 2| will be attached to the guide rail 26 and the opposite extension guidebar, Zi will be omitted. It will be understood that the bottom edge of the rear wall ll of the magazine and thebottom edges of the side walls l3 of the magazine are spaced sufficiently above the surface of shelf E0 to provide room not only for the passage of the blanks but for the positioning and adjustment of the extension guide bars beneath said walls.

The front end of each extension guide bar 2!, 2 l is provided with a clip for detachably securing the guide bar to its guide rail. ,As herein shown, this clip consists of a jaw member formed by bending or folding the end of the guide bar back upon itself thus providing a U-shaped loop which acts as a clip to embrace the end of the guiderail andhol'd' the extension guide bar in position.

At the rear or delivery side'of the .rolls I5 and IS'I'providea pair of guide rails Hand 23 for guiding: the advance ends of the blanks as they emerge from said rolls.

Each-rear guide rail 22 and 23 is a shortlength of angle iron having an upstanding flange to engage and guide the edge 'of the sole and a horizontal inwardly extending flange which serves asaledge'or runway for the laterally offset heel end of the blank. As shown in Fig. 9, thezhorizontal flanges of the guide rails 22' andi23. slope upwardly from the rolls I5, l6, so that they are positioned in substantially the same plane with the top. surface of the central. work supporting track 3?, which usually inclines upwardly. Fixed to the under side of each rear guide rail 22 and 232 is a blockor lug' 38 (Figs. 8 and 9) extending downwardly through a transverse slot 39 (Fig. 1) formed in the bed plate l9. Each lug 38 is made with a threaded hole through which extends a threaded spindle 40, rotatably supported near its ends on the frame of the machine. One of these threaded connections consists of right-hand threads and the other consists of left-hand threads whereby the guide rails 22.and.23. may

be adjusted toward and from each other by rotating the spindle 40 by means of a handle 4| fixed to one end of the spindle. The spindle 4D is held. in position against accidental endwise displacement, but with provision for adjustment, by means of two pairs of nuts 42 and 43, a sleeve 4% being provided between the pair of nuts 43 and the adjacent side of the frame.

In the machine above described the front guide rails 29 and it! are adjusted by the spindle 26 and the rear guides 22 and 23 are adjusted by the spindle 46, said two adjustments being independent each of the other. In Fig. 10 a modification is illustrated whereby all four of said guide rails may be adjusted together or in unison. The spindle 26 has fixed thereon a pinion 45 meshing with an elongate gear 46 fast on a short shaft 41. The shaft 41 carries a sprocket wheel 48 which is connected by a sprocket chain 49 with a sprocket Wheel 50 fixed on the spindle 40.

With this construction the rotation of either spindle acts through the sprocket wheels and chain and gears 45 and 46 to rotate the other spindle to a corresponding extent. When the spindle 26 is shifted bodily endwise, for the purpose above described, the gear 45 will slide longitudinally in the elongate gear 46.

The operation of the machine is as follows. Assume that the magazine is filled with a stack of left soles S and that the front guide rails 29 and 23 are properly adjusted to the size and shape of the soles as already described. The extension guide bar Zi is attached to the guide rail 213 and the sole will occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, where the offset heel end projects laterally beyond the line of the guide 20 and the sole is guided only at the widest part of the ball or forepart of the sole. The rear guide rail 22 is adjusted to an offset position outwardly from the line of the front guide 2!] to the line traversed by the outermost tip or edge of the offset heel end of the blank. The rear guide 23 will at the same time be adjusted laterally to a corresponding position appropriate to a corresponding right sole. As the sole is advanced by the feeding mechanism to the rolls I5, IS, the ball of the sole is guided between the front guides 20 and 20 As soon as the offset heel end reaches the offset guide rail'22'the guide rail 22 will prevent any tendency of the advance end (the offset heel) to swing toward the left, and the horizontal ledge of the guide rail- 22 will support the offset end in the same plane with the body of the sole which rests upon the track 31. At the same time the extension guide bar 2| 3 will prevent any tendency of the ball of the sole to swing to theright even though the opposite side of the ball of the sole has passed beyond the guide rail 20, and this condition will prevail until the widest part of the ball of the sole has practically reached the rolls. I5 and I6 since the guide bar 2 SP extends nearly to said rolls; Bearing. in mind that the tendency of aleft sole of the common style illustrated is to swerve toward the left or counterclockwise, it will be seen that the guides both in advance of the rolls and at the rear of the rolls so control the path of the blank as to cause it to move in a. substantially straight line Without swerving as it passes between the measuring and feeding rolls i5 and I6.

In a similar manner a right sole will be guided by the front guides and the rear guide 23, the extension guide bar 2| being applied to the guide rail 20 and the extension guide rail 2| being omitted.

I claim:

1. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and measuring rolls, a pair of guide rails in advance of said. rolls terminating at their rear ends a substantial distance in front of said rolls, whereby an offset end of the blank being graded may project laterally into the space between the rolls and the rear end of one of the guide rails, and an offset guide rail at the rear of said rolls adapted to guide the offset end of the blank as the blank emerges from said rolls.

2. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and measuring rolls, a pair of guide rails in advance of said rolls terminating at their rear ends a substantial distance in front of said rolls, whereby an offset end of the blank being measured may project laterally into the space between the rolls and the rear end of one of the guide rails, an extension guide bar detachably secured to the other guide rail and extending rearwardly toward said rolls, and an offset guide rail at the rear of said rolls adapted to guide the offset end of the blank as the blank emerges from said rolls.

3. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and measuring rolls, a pair of guide rails in advance of said rolls terminating at their rear ends a substantial distance in front of said rolls, whereby an offset end of the blank being measured may project laterally into the space between the rolls and the rear end of one of the guide rails, an extension guide bar detachably secured to the other guide rail and extending rearwardly toward said rolls, and a pair of offset guide rails at the rear of said rolls adapted to guide the offset end of a blank which is offset in either direction as the blank emerges from said rolls.

4. In a grading machine, a, pair of feeding and measuring rolls, guide rails in advance of said rolls to guide the blanks in their movement toward the rolls, and a pair of guide rails at the rear of said rolls to guide the blanks as they emerge from said rolls, and means to adjust all four of said guide rails laterally in unison.

5. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and measuring rolls, a pair of guide rails in advance of said rolls terminating at their rear ends a substantial distance in front of said rolls, whereby an offset end of the blank being measured may project laterally into'the space between the rolls and the rear endof one of the guide rails, an extension guide bar detachably secured to the other guide rail and extending rearwardly toward said rolls, and a pair of offset guide rails at the rear of said rolls adapted to guide the offset end of a blank which is offset in either direction as the blank emerges from said rolls, and means to adjust all four of said guide rails laterally in unison.

6. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and measuring rolls, a work-supporting track narrower than the blanks being graded and disposed at the rear of said rolls, and a guide rail at the rear of said rolls comprising an upstanding flange and a horizontal ledge extending toward and in the same plane with the surface of the work-supporting track.

'7. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and measuring rolls, a work-supporting track narrower than the blanks being graded and disposed at the rear of said rolls, and a pair of guide rails at the rear of said rolls, one at each side of said track, each guide rail comprising an upstanding flange and a horizontal ledge extending inwardly toward and in the same plane with the surface of the work-supporting track.

8. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and measuring rolls, a work-supporting track narrower than the blanks being graded and disposed at the rear of said rolls, and a pair of guide rails at the rear of saidrolls, one at each side of said track, each guide rail comprising anupstanding flange and a horizontal ledge extending inwardly toward and in the same plane with the surface of the work-supporting track, and means to adjust said'guide rails in unison toward and from 5 the work-supporting track.

9.- In a grading machine, the combination with a pair of measuring rolls, of guiding means com- 7 prising a guide rail terminating at its rear end a substantial distance in front of said rolls, and 10 an extension guide bar detachably secured to the guide rail and extending rearwardly to a point closely adjacent to said rolls.

10. In a grading machine, the combination with a pair of measuring rolls, of guiding means com:- 15 prising a guide rail terminating at its rear end a substantial distance in front of said rolls, and an extension guide bar detachably secured to the guide rail by means of a clip on the guide bar adapted to embrace the guide rail, said guide bar 0 extending rearwardly to a point closely adjacent to said rolls. I

' 11. In a grading machine, the combination wit a pair of measuring rolls, of guiding means comprising a guide rail terminating at its rear end a substantial distance in front of said rolls, and an extension guide bar having a jaw member at i one end adapted to embrace the end of the guide rail for removably attaching the extension bar to the guide rail, said guide bar extending rearward- 3O 1y to a point closely adjacent to said rolls.

JAMES W. JOHNSTON. 

